TUESDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 34 P-51s pound locomotives, railroad cars, and other targets of opportunity at Tsingtao and Puchi; about 30 other fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity (mainly rail and river traffic) at scattered locations including Changsha, Lohochai, Tsingtao, Chukiatsi, N of Lingling, and between Siangsiang and Siangtan.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 44 P-47s fly close support strikes in the Mongmit battle sector; 8 support ground forces in the Namhsan area; 13 P-38s severely damage a bridge at Mong Long; nearly 100 P-47s and P-38s pound troop concentrations, supply and ammunition dumps, and general targets of opportunity behind enemy lines. Large-scale transport operations continue. The 164th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Assansol, India to Shwebo with UC-64s and L-5s.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Two Guam based
B-24s on an armed reconnaissance flight bomb Marcus. During
the night of 20/21 Feb, seven B-24s flying individual raids, bomb Okimura and airfield on Haha Jima. The air echelon of the 549th Night Fighter
Squadron begins operating from Saipan with
P-61s (ground echelon is enroute from Hawaii to Iwo
Jima).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb runways
and warehouse at Jesselton Airfield.
Buildings at Puerto Princesa and underground installation on Corregidor are pounded. 63 B-25's of the 345th BG and the 38th BG and covered by 32 P-47 's of the 35th FG off Clark
Field hit Choshu and also hit railroad yards, vehicles, railway
rolling stock, and buildings. One B-25 was lost and P-47D "Nancie-A" 42-28493 (MIA). HQ 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Darwin to San
Jose. The 23d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Morotai to Guiuan Airfield.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps continues preparations for assault on Intramuros in Manila. 6th Div completes relief of 2d Cav Brig, 1st Cav Div, in Novaliches-Balera area. 7th Cav, 2d Cav Brig, seizes crossings of Mariquina R in Ugong-Rosario area. In I Corps area, 1st Bn of 161st Inf, 25th Div, gains control of 3 of the 4 enemy positions under attack NW of Lumboy. In XI Corps area, 1st Inf, renewing westward drive on Bataan Peninsula, reaches W coast at Bagac.
In the southern Philippines in the U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, Americal Div's Prov TF sends land and amphibious patrols from Allen, on Samar, along northwest coast to Lavezares. Elements make uncontested landing on Macarite I. and cross channel to establish beachhead on Biri I., at E entrance to San Bernardino Strait.
USMC: V AC enlarges beachhead against stubborn opposition. 4th Mar Div, reinforcing each of its assault RCT's with a BLT of RCT 24--div reserve overrun Motoyama No. 1 (Airfield No. 1). After repelling predawn counterattack, 5th Mar Div continues drives to N and S. With tanks spearheading, RCT 27, reinf by bn of div reserve--RCT 26--drives slowly N on left flank of corps while RCT 28, assisted by flamethrowing tanks and close naval gunfire support, works S toward Mt Suribachi--from which enemy is pouring a heavy volume of fire--systematically reducing the numerous emplacements in its path. Maximum gain, 1,000 yards, is made in center of corps. Casualties to men and equipment continue to be high; tank casualties, after 2 days of bitter fighting, are estimated as 20% to 30%.
U.S. Army troops under cover of Marine aircraft were landed on Biri Island to insure control of the San Bernardino Straits.
U.S. Navy: off Iwo Jima, light cruiser USS Biloxi (CL-80) is hit by friendly fire, 25°47'N, 141°15'E; destroyer Bradford (DD-545) collides with uncharted submerged wreckage, 24°45.8'N, 141°19.44'E; attack transports Napa (APA-157) and Logan (APA-196) are damaged in collision, 24°46'N, 141°19'E; tank landing ship LST-779 and medium landing ship LSM-216 are damaged by mortar fire.
Submarine Guavina (SS-362), attacking Japanese convoy rounding Cape Padaran, French Indochina, damages merchant tanker Eiyo Maru, 11°22'N, 109°22'E.
Submarine Hawkbill (SS-366), attacking Japanese convoy about 175 miles northwest of Singapore, sinks merchant cargo ship Daizen Maru, 00°42'S, 106°18'E. Although Hawkbill claims sinking one other cargo vessel, the two ships in company with the lost freighter, Kanto Maru and Nankai Maru, survive unscathed.
Submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks Japanese destroyer Nokaze off Cape Varella, French Indochina, 12°48'N, 109°38'E; destroyer Kamikaze, in company with Nokaze at the time of Pargo's attack, unsuccessfully counterattacks with depth charges.
Submarine Pintado (SS-387) is damaged by aerial bomb, Gulf of Siam, 07°25'N, 111°56'E, but remains on patrol.
Japanese army ship Rozan Maru is sunk by mine below Taku, China.
Japanese cargo vessel No.34 Kashiwa Maru is sunk by mine off Surabaya.
